Friday, December 23, 2011

Super-cute: Siku is being hand-reared in Denmark after his mother failed to produce milk to feed him

One day he’ll grow up to be a fearsome predator. But for now, Siku the polar bear is quite content to enjoy life as a cosseted cub.

The tiny bear is being hand-reared at a wildlife park after his mother was unable to produce enough milk to feed him.

Footage of the month-old cub sleeping, stretching and wriggling in delight as he gets a rub down from one of his carers has won him thousands of fans online.Adorable: Siku, which means 'Sea ice' in Greenlandic, takes a nap after being born last month

Happy to play: Tiny Siku has paws in the air as he's lying on a table

Siku, whose name means ‘ice’ in the Inuit language Iñupiaq, will be looked after by his three carers at the Scandinavian Wildlife Park in Denmark until he is a year old.

His online fame resembles that enjoyed by polar bear Knut, who became a celebrity at Berlin zoo after his mother rejected him in 2007.

Can't see me: Siku the polar bear cub has his eyes squeezed shut at the Scandinavian Wildlife Park, Denmark

Attention: The cub will have to be looked after for a year by a team of three carers because his mother was unable to produce enough milk to feed him

Give me a hand: The tiny animal grips one of his carer's fingers. Footage of him enjoying a back rub has made him an internet star

Knut died on March 19 in front of hundreds of visitors to Berlin zoo after collapsing and falling into the water in his enclosure.

The four-year-old polar bear was suffering from encephalitis - swelling of the brain - and drowned after he fell into the pool.